


I Will Protect You (Kaoru Kaidoh)

by TheRainRogue



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Comedy, Dark, F/M, One Shot, Romance, abusive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRainRogue/pseuds/TheRainRogue
Summary: You internally groaned when you stepped outside, feeling the heat rays beating down on you. It was hot enough as is, but the long sleeves and male slacks that you wore made it feel twenty times more hot than it actually was. The other students sent you a weird look as they passed, whispering amongst themselves. And why wouldn’t they? You never wore anything but long sleeves and pants, even on the hottest of days. You didn’t understand why they still acted so surprised; you had been dressing like this since your first year, and now, here you were in the middle of your second year.
Relationships: Kaidou Kaoru/Reader
Kudos: 2
Collections: Anime, One Shots





	1. Chapter 1

  * **Genre** : Angst, Romance, Dark, Comedy ☁
  * **Word Count** : 6,289 ☁
  * **Pairing** : Reader x Kaidoh ☁
  * **World** : Anime, Prince of Tennis ☁



_This fic contains abuse, both mental and physical._

_The reader is thought to be a boy but is actually a girl. Not sure why, but I felt the need to mention this! Also, holy shit why is this so long. I thought it would be around three thousand, but it was doubled, damn._

* * *

You internally groaned when you stepped outside, feeling the heat rays beating down on you. It was hot enough as is, but the long sleeves and male slacks that you wore made it feel twenty times more hot than it actually was. The other students sent you a weird look as they passed, whispering amongst themselves. And why wouldn’t they? You never wore anything but long sleeves and pants, even on the hottest of days. You didn’t understand why they still acted so surprised; you had been dressing like this since your first year, and now, here you were in the middle of your second year.

You sighed, feeling like the weight of the world was beating down on you. You readjusted the bag on your shoulder before continuing towards the school gate. Honestly, you didn’t want to return home; you’d rather be anywhere else in the world, but you knew the consequences for returning home late, even if it was just by a minute or two.

You were so caught up in your thoughts that you didn’t notice two piercing eyes threatening to burn holes in your side.

When you were finally out of his sight, Kaidoh let out a hiss. His body was so jumbled with different emotions that he couldn’t even put a name to everything he was currently feeling. He had been your seatmate since your first year, almost as if fate had wanted the two of you to remain close. To further push that idea, he lived in your neighborhood, just a few houses down.

You had never been close with each other, but you did consider each other a friend. On the rare occasion that he didn’t have practice, the two of you would walk home together in silence – awkward for him, but peaceful for you. You often got paired up to do assignments together, as well.

Kaidoh didn’t know when it had started, he just knew that it had at some point. Somewhere along the road, he had started to develop feelings for you. He wanted to get to know you, but his attempts always failed. He never knew what to ask or how to ask, and when he finally did get up the courage, you usually just answered with a short or vague answer. You never meant to be rude, but you already had so much weighing down your mind that you just never realized what he was attempting to do.

Honestly, Kaidoh felt pretty torn about the whole situation. He wasn’t too interested in dating, since tennis is his first love, and he had never paid much attention to girls. Even so, he had always been sure that he was straight and only liked girls. So why did he fall for his male classmate? He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Was he gay? Was he just curious?

The regulars easily noticed the change in Kaidoh over the past few weeks. How could they not? They spent practically every single day with the second year. Hell, they probably knew him better than he knew himself! And so, the Seigaku regulars set out on a quest to find the source of his distraction and help him solve the problem that he hadn’t yet realized he had.

“Ouch! You elbowed me in the ribs, Eiji!”

“Nya~ Sorry, Oishi!”

“Not so loud, senpai!”

“Probability of being detected: 100%”

“Saa, I think you’re right, Inui.”

A tick mark appeared under Kaidoh’s right eye as he heard the noise coming from the bushes behind him. His hands balled into fists at his side, his knuckles turning white from the restraint it took not to yell at them and hit Momoshiro – because not even Kaidoh would go so far as to hit his senpai.

“This is ridiculous,”

“Oi, Echizen!” Momo tried to grab onto the first year before he could leave their hiding place, but he was too quick and easily dodged the attempt.

Ryoma approached his senpai was a blank expression. “Who is he?”

Kaidoh narrowed his eyes at the shorter boy. “What?”

“That boy you were watching. Who is he?”

The viper felt his heart rate increase, though he couldn’t tell if it was because of you being mentioned or the fact that the tennis team had seen him staring you down as you left – for all he knew, it could be a combination of both. “N-None of your business!”

The regulars watched as the viper quickly stomped away from the group.

“Probability that the boy is the cause of his distraction: 99.9%”

“Do you know who he is, Inui?” Fuji questioned, tilting his head to the side.

Inui paled, pushing up his glasses with an index finger. He was too ashamed to admit that he didn’t have any information on the boy in question. You were an enigma, even to the data specialist.

“How interesting~” Fuji chuckled after gauging his reaction.

“I know he’s a second year.” Momo supplied, putting his hand on his chin. “I think I’ve seen him in Mamushi’s class before.”

“ _Data_ ,” Inui muttered to himself, quickly scribbling away in his little black book. The others sweatdropped at his reaction, while Fuji simply laughed.

“Well, if we’re going to solve this problem, we’ll just have to learn more about him!” Oishi declared with a smile.

If you had known about the sudden storm that would descend upon you like the wrath of the gods, you probably would have just fled the country, but you were completely clueless about the plans of the Seigaku regulars.

* * *

The next morning, you quietly gathered your things and got dressed for school. Your mother was still sleeping, and you knew there’d be hell to pay if you woke her up by being too loud. It didn’t help that she slept as light a feather – you breathe wrong and the woman wakes up!

You slowly descended the stairs, careful to avoid that one creaky step in the middle – it had been your downfall many times in the past, and you had learned the hard way to avoid it at all costs. You made it downstairs without a problem and set your bag gently on the floor by the door.

 _‘Almost free’_ , you thought. All you had to do was make a quick piece of toast and then you’d be out of there. You crossed your arms as you waited, your finger tapping your upper arm impatiently as you watched the timer on the toaster oven. You easily caught it before it could ding, pulling out the hot piece of toast and placing it onto a paper towel. You celebrated mentally, happy to have gotten out of the house without waking the beast that lived upstairs, but it seems you celebrated too soon.

Right as you reached for the door handle, you heard your name being screamed as your mother came rushing down the stairs. Her hair was tussled and messy from sleep and her eyes were narrowed angrily. Your mind screamed at you to run – the door was literally within arm’s reach – but you were frozen to the spot.

“You didn’t feed the damn cat and he woke me up!” She screamed at you.

Your eyes glanced down at her feet where a light gray, pudgy cat was sitting. If they could have expressions, you were sure that his would be smug for getting you into trouble.

You gulped down the piece of toast in your mouth before speaking. “Y-You said not to go in your room…”

“Don’t backtalk me!” She grabbed your arm tightly and you winced in pain. “You know you’re supposed to feed the cat, stupid girl!” She ripped the hat off your head and threw it to the ground. “Your hair is starting to get too long! Boys are supposed to have short hair, not long, get it cut before you walk in this house again!”

“I-I don’t have any money…” You mumbled pathetically, the stinging in your arm causing tears to cloud your vision.

Before you could blink, she backhanded you, sending you crashing back against the door behind you. You winced in pain when you hit the rather large bruise on your back. “You expect me to pay? After everything you’ve done?”

Tears rolled down your cheeks as your face stung in unison with your arm. Your hands clenched around your slacks as you cried out, “What have I done, mother? What have I done to deserve this?”

The look your mother sent you was terrifying, full of hatred and malice. She stepped closer, leaning over so her face was inches away from your own. “You killed your father. He died because he wanted a son! You were nothing but a disappointment! He killed himself because of you!”

“He died in a car crash,” You tried to reason with her.

She spit in your face before standing up straight. “He never would have been in that car if you hadn’t made him leave. He was tired of you!”

Your whole body was shaking, your face a red blotchy mess as tears fell from your eyes and sobs wracked your body. You were in so much pain, you didn’t know what to do. You felt so lost, so useless.

“ **Get out of my house**!”

You scrambled up as quick as you could, nearly tripping as you rushed out the door. You only made it a block or so before you tripped, your body falling to the heated pavement with a thud. It was the middle of the week, so most of the surrounding houses were empty, the area quiet.

You didn’t try to get up. What would be the point? You certainly couldn’t walk into school like that, there’d be too many questions and you couldn’t just say you tripped. If they called your mother, you knew your punishment would be even worse.

Your hand clawed at the pavement as fresh tears blurred your eyes and fresh sobs began to shake your body. You didn’t understand why this was happening to you. Had you done something in a previous life to warrant such punishment? You felt so weak, so drained. You were beginning to wonder if all of this abuse was worth it.

 _‘No, I can’t think like that!’_ , you pounded the ground with your fist. You were not going to let your mother win. You would remain strong. One day this will all be over and you’ll be far away from her, living a normal and happy life. You couldn’t let go of that hope – it was all you had.

“O-Oi!” A voice stuttered from behind you. “Are you okay?!”

You looked over your shoulder to see a tall figure, but the tears blurred his face. You quickly swiped them away with the back of your hand. It was your seatmate, Kaidoh, who was now kneeling beside you with a worried and panicked expression on his face.

Of all the people to see you in such a state, it just had to be the boy who had stolen your heart all those years ago. You figured you didn’t stand a chance with him, though. He thought you were a boy, after all, and your mother would never let you be happy. You still had four and half more years before you could rebuild your life and find happiness.

He grabbed your upper arm to get your attention and you winced, making him release you. His grip had been gentle, but he had grabbed the same spot that your mother had. On top of that, the old bruise from a week ago hadn’t fully disappeared and was still a little sore to the touch.

“S-Sorry,” He muttered, his cheeks taking on a slight hue of pink.

“It’s not your fault,” You tried to smile, but couldn’t find the energy.

“What hap – ”

“Aren’t you late for tennis practice, Kaidoh-kun?” You cut him off, hoping to distract him from the current situation.

He paled a bit when you reminded him of his lateness, but he didn’t leave like you had expected. “I can’t leave you like this!”

“I just tripped, that’s all.” Your voice did little to help convince him – it was monotone, lifeless.

He scowled at you. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“W-What?” You stuttered in surprise, eyes wide at the question. That wasn’t what you meant at all! “O-Of course not!”

“That mark on your face is from a hand, not the pavement. Someone hit you.”

Your heart was racing, thumping loudly in your ear as you scrambled to come up with a lie he would actually believe. “I… I was mugged!”

His eyes grew wide like saucers at the information. “M-Mugged?!”

“Yeah! Yeah, that’s what happened! I refused to give up my bag so the guy slapped me!”

“We need to call the police!”

“No!” You hurried to your feet in a panic, only to trip over yourself. Strong arms wrapped around your middle, pulling you into a firm chest rather than the pavement. You cried out in pain, begging him to let you go. As soon as he did, you bolted away from him. He was too stunned to react in time.

* * *

You stared at your face in the mirror, analyzing the large red welp on the side of your face. The color had dulled a bit, but it was still quite noticeable. Oh, how you wished you had makeup to cover it with, but since you were supposed to be a boy, your mother had forbidden you from wearing any type of makeup – even chapstick was forbidden.

“I guess I’ll just have to stick to the mugging story…” You muttered to yourself with a frown. You dug around in your bag, producing a bottle of pills. They were an over the counter pain medication that you had saved up for by helping the older woman next door weed her garden. Your back was killing you and you needed relief. You hoped it would help for the various bruises scattered across your torso and arms, as well.

Taking a deep breath, you threw your bag onto your shoulder and left the washroom, quickly thanking the school nurse before scurrying away. By the time you had reached the school, two of your four morning classes had ended.

The bell for the third period rang and you increased your pace, thanking the gods that your classroom was close to the nurse’s office. Your teacher had already begun roll call by the time you stepped inside, earning a glare from the man as he ordered you to take a seat. You were so thankful that he hadn’t given you detention.

You fell into your seat with a soft sigh, pulling out the book you needed for the class. It wasn’t even noon and you already felt completely exhausted. The hair on the back of your neck stood on end and you froze, slowly turning to the side to see a pissed off Kaidoh glaring at you. This wasn’t your first time seeing him angry – it was, after all, quite easy to get under the boy’s skin. But you had never seen him this angry. You wondered how you hadn’t missed the murderous aura he was giving off the second you sat down. You also noticed how the other students had quietly moved their desks farther away from the boy, clearly scared by how angry he was.

You swallowed hard, quickly averting your eyes to your desk. What were you going to do? He was clearly angry that you had blown him off and run away from him… how would you explain it? Had he kept to his word and called the police?

Kaidoh couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t angry. He was livid, but not particularly at his seatmate. He was angry that you had been mugged and acted like it was nothing. Someone had hurt you, and he wanted the bastard to pay for what he had done. He was angry that he had allowed someone to hurt the person he loved!

_Oh,_

Kaidoh’s face turned bright red when he realized what he had just thought. Was he really in love with you? He had never cared so much about anyone else before, nor had he ever been so angry about something that happened to another person. Why were you so special?

He quickly threw his head down onto the desk, making an audible _**THUMP**_ , but the surrounding students were too scared to say anything. They thought he was just getting more annoyed, but in reality, he was just trying to hide his blushing face.

Time seemed to pass by incredibly slow that day, though it probably didn’t help that you glanced at the clock every minute or two. You just wanted the day to be over so you could crawl under your covers and hide from the world. You had managed to successfully dodge Kaidoh the rest of the day, but he was looking determined not to let you slip away this time.

The bell finally rang and you sprang up, quickly grabbing your pre-packed bag and making a dash for the door. Kaidoh tried to grab the back of your uniform but he was an inch short and hit the floor instead, cursing loudly as he tried to chase after you. Your attention had diverted over your shoulder just long enough to judge the distance between the two of you.

Feeling confident that you had escaped, you looked forward again – only, you didn’t see the open doorway. Instead, you ran right into a white wall, sending you flying back onto your butt. Your classmates laughed at you, stepping over you and around the object that had stopped you.

Turns out it wasn’t a wall – it was the second year, Momoshiro, from the class next door. He blinked down at you curiously before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“Sorry about that,”

You stared at his extended hand, your mind still processing the events that had just taken place. By the time you realized, though, it was too late. Kaidoh was now blocking the door, glaring between you and Momo.

“Watch where you’re going, idiot.” He hissed.

“Huh?! He ran into me!” Momo defended himself.

“You should still watch where you’re going!”

“You wanna fight?!”

“Bring it on!”

You tried to crawl past the bickering boys, but Kaidoh was determined not to let you get away. He grabbed your arm and hauled you to your feet – thankfully, that arm didn’t have any bruises. Well, it did, but not in the place he had grabbed.

“You’re coming with me!”

“I-I can’t. I have to get home.” You tried to pry his hand away but he was too strong. “L-Let go of me!” You looked to Momo for help and he nodded. You thought you were saved… until Momo gently grabbed your other arm and helped his friend drag you out of the classroom. “W-Wait a minute! Where are you taking me? Let me go right this instant!”

Your demands went unanswered. Kaidoh didn’t even acknowledge that you were speaking, and Momoshiro only offered a grin. You had hoped that the students gathered in the halls would intervene, but they only stared like it was a normal thing.

 _‘What is wrong with these people?!’_ , you cried, _‘Mother is going to kill me tonight. This time for sure…’_

You took a deep breath to calm your racing thoughts. You had to be calm and collected in order to think of a way to escape this. Your eyes glanced at each of their grips. Kaidoh’s right hand was holding your wrist, while his left was resting across your arm. Momo was holding your left arm, just below the elbow. You quickly realize that they were gripping the fabric of your long-sleeved shirt more than they were your arm.

You had your plan, but you knew it was going to be painful and difficult.

Taking another deep breath to calm your nerves, you slammed the heels of your shoes into the ground before sinking down. Your body was bent like you were about to do a high dive, allowing your arms to slip out of the sleeves of the sweatshirt as the boys kept walking. You felt the material slip over your head and you dashed in the opposite direction, trying to ignore the stinging in your arms.

You were very much aware of the air whipping around your now exposed skin; it felt weird to you since you hadn’t allowed your skin to feel any outside air for several years now.

“Get back here!”

You gulped, pushing your legs to run faster. This was your last chance – if they caught you now, your secret would be exposed. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good plan after all…

You turned the corner and quickly ducked into the first classroom you found, sliding the door shut as quickly and quietly as you could. Your heart hammered against your chest as their pounding steps drew closer, but they didn’t stop. They continued on until finally fading into the distance.

You didn’t even get the chance to calm down before someone called your name. You spun around to find Fuji Shuusuke, a third year, looking at you curiously from his position near the window. You had entered the photography room, the place that he frequently visited. You gulped down your nervousness and tried to sound calm and not like you had just escaped two angry and possibly crazy second years.

“H-Hello, Fuji-senpai.”

“Is everything alright?” He questioned with a small smile, setting his camera on the desk beside his bag.

“Of course! I thought this was a different room, I’ll be going now. Please excuse me!” You bowed, whipping back around.

“Hold it,” His voice was firm and it sent a chill down your spine.

“Y-Yes?”

“What happened to your arms?”

“What?” Your head whipped around so fast you were surprised you hadn’t given yourself whiplash. The tensai’s eyes were open, a sight you had never seen before, and he was staring at a rather large bruise on the back of your upper arm. He was frowning and even looked a little angry. “Oh, umm… I’m really… clumsy.”

His eyes narrowed as he approached you, gently grabbing your shoulder to turn you to face him. As your body was exposed to the light pouring in through the window, more bruises and scars became apparent to him, lining your skin like a bad rash.

You wanted to cry. No matter what lie you came up with, you knew it would be useless against this boy. Anyone else, maybe, but not the genius Fuji Shuusuke.

You were tired.

Tired of scrambling to make up lies.

Tired of hiding.

Tired of being scared.

Tired of hurting.

Tears welled up in your eyes, slowly pouring down your cheeks. Your shoulders shook from the effort it took to keep from sobbing out loud. Fuji called your name gently and you lost it, throwing your arms around his waist and burying your face in his white shirt. You didn’t care that you looked like a mess. You didn’t care that you didn’t really know this boy. You just wanted someone to hold you, someone to comfort you, someone to care.

His eyes widened in surprise for several reasons, but he quickly and gently wrapped his arms around you. He rubbed your hair and told you it would be okay, which only made you cry louder.

Your whole life was one big mess. How could things possibly be okay?

* * *

Kaidoh was ten times more frustrated when he reached the tennis courts. Even Momoshiro seemed tense.

“You’re both late,” Tezuka announced, arms folded across his chest and a stern look on his face.

“Sorry buchou,” Momo apologized. Kaidoh only hissed.

“Fifty laps,”

The two second years complied without their usual complaints, worrying the ever motherly vice-captain. “Something doesn’t feel right, Tezuka. Fuji isn’t here either.”

Yes, even the stoic captain had noticed the strange thickness hanging in the air today, like something bad was bound to happen.

A third year girl came running up to them, holding up her index finger as she tried to catch her breath. She was a bookworm, not an athlete, but because the information was deemed important, she decided to run to the courts instead of a nicely paced walk. Fuji really owed her one.

When she finally caught her breath, she regarded them with a shy smile. “Fuji-kun asked me to pass along a message to you, Tezuka-san. He said that something important has come up and he will be missing practice today and in the morning.”

Oishi looked at the girl with worry. “Did he say why?”

She shook her head and frowned. “No, but he seemed really upset.”

“Thank you.” Tezuka bowed and she took that as her sign to leave. She bowed to the two boys before turning around and walking leisurely back to her classroom. “There’s nothing we can do now. We’ll have to trust Fuji.”

Oishi bit his lip, hoping that nothing serious had happened.

* * *

You sniffled, tugging awkwardly at the jacket that now covered your body. Fuji had been kind enough to give you his Seigaku jacket to hide your arms since your sweater had been nowhere to be found. You glanced at his back since he was walking a few steps in front of you. You felt nervous, to say the least, and wondered if this was really okay.

He stopped in front of his house, pushing open the gate for you. He gave you an encouraging smile as you passed him, heading toward his front door. Why in the world had you agreed to this? You barely even knew this boy!

It was true, you were terrified, but not because of him or the thought of staying at his house.

No, the thought of returning home terrified you and, somehow, Fuji had realized that.

“Don’t worry, my family is very kind.” He commented, trying to ease your nervous mind as he pushed his front door open. You followed him inside, setting your shoes beside his own before following him into the kitchen.

A woman stood at the stove making dinner, humming softly to herself. Another woman, older than Fuji but younger than the first, was sitting at the table flipping through a magazine.

“I’m home,”

“Welcome home, Shuu – ” The older woman paused when she turned around, smiling at the girl beside him. “Shuusuke! You didn’t tell me you were bringing a friend over.”

“Saa, it was a bit last minute, kaa-san.”

The other woman grinned. “You finally got yourself a girlfriend, huh? She’s cute!”

You paled at the woman’s words, _‘H-How did she know I’m a girl…?’_

“She’s just a friend, Yumiko-nee.”

Your wide eyes quickly snapped to him, _‘He knew too?!’_

As if reading your mind, he shot you a grin before returning to his mother. “She was locked out of her house and her parents are out of town. Can she stay here tonight?”

His mother smiled. “Of course she can! Dinner will be ready soon, dear, I hope you like curry.”

“Y-Yes ma’am. Thank you.”

“Hmm, I’m curious though.” Yumiko put a manicured nail to her bottom lip as she looked you up and down. “Why are you dressed as a boy?”

“Don’t be rude to our guest, Yumiko.” Their mother scolded. “Shuusuke, why don’t you two go up to your room and get started on your homework? I’ll call you once dinner is done.”

The boy nodded, gripping your wrist lightly and leading you up the stairs to his bedroom. You remained quiet until you were safely inside his room, the door locked behind you. You turned toward him but refused to meet his eyes. Instead, you decided that his carpet was worth inspecting.

“How long have you known?”

“Hmm?”

“That I’m… a girl,”

“Ah,” he sat down at his desk with a smile. “I’ve had my suspicions for a while, but it was confirmed when you hugged me.”

A pink hue lit up your cheeks. You knew instantly what he meant; _I felt your boobs against my chest when you hugged me_. You quickly kneeled down, covering your face with your hands. You muttered out an apology, but it was too muffled for him to understand. You repeated yourself, but he still didn’t get it.

Fuji kneeled down in front of you and gently removed your hands. “One more time,” he prodded.

“I’m sorry,”

“For what?”

“All the trouble I’ve caused. Sorry for breaking down in front of you like that. I’m sorry for upsetting Kaidoh-kun, too…

Something flickered through his azure eyes. “I’m sure you didn’t upset Kaidoh, and you’ve caused me no trouble at all. We’re friends, after all, ne?”

“W-We are?”

“Yes,”

For the first time in years, you smiled – a real, genuine smile. You began to cry again, but you weren’t sad, you were happy.

Fuji never did pressure you about your bruises, but you had this feeling in the pit of your stomach that he had figured it out himself. You had sat down with his family for dinner, and they were all very kind to you. After dinner, Fuji had helped you with some of your homework, explaining things in a way that made you understand how to solve them on your own. When it was time to go to sleep, he kindly gave you his bed while he made a little blanket mattress on the floor. You had refused at first but quickly learned that the tensai is a stubborn one indeed. That night, you slept peacefully, without a single nightmare about your mother entering in the dead of night to harm or, even worse, kill you.

You couldn’t help but wonder if that was what home was supposed to feel like.

When morning came, you found yourself alone in Fuji’s room. The blankets had been picked up and neatly folded next to the closet. You were crawling out of bed when the door opened and the eldest Fuji sibling entered the room.

“I was just coming to wake you up.” She smiled. “Shuusuke had to get to morning practice, but he wanted me to tell you that you can take a shower and change into his clothes if you want.”

You expected her to ask again about dressing like a boy, but she didn’t.

“Once you’re done, come downstairs and get some breakfast, then I’ll drive you to school, okay?” She winked at you and left the room before you could protest.

You sat there for a moment, wondering if all this was just a dream before you finally did as you were told. You grabbed one of his uniforms from the closet and headed to the bathroom. A towel was sitting on the counter inside. You tried to avoid looking in the mirror as you stripped, but your gaze snapped to it before you could stop yourself. Your entire body was covered with bruises and scars, each at a different stage of healing. The most prominent ones were on your thighs where your mother had kicked you repeatedly for not washing the dishes properly. Leg wounds were easier to hide, your mother had said.

You tore your gaze away with a sigh and unwrapped the bandages that bound your boobs before stepping under the hot water. You truly didn’t want to get your hopes up, but more than anything, you wished this would last forever. Reality is cruel, though, and you can’t run away from your problems forever.

* * *

You wrung your hands nervously in your lap, refusing to look up in case you met eyes with passing students. They were all gawking at the fancy red car that Yumiko drove. What would they say when they saw you stepping out of it? That was more attention than you wanted.

Yumiko patted your shoulder gently and offered you an encouraging smile. “Go on, you don’t want to be late.”

“Thank you, Fuji-san.”

“Oh please, Fuji-san is my mother. Just call me Yumiko, okay?” She grinned.

Despite yourself, you smiled back. “Thank you,”

“Have a good day!”

You waved at her as she drove away. As expected, the passing students stopped and stared at you, but for the first time, you honestly didn’t care. You were experiencing a lot of firsts lately.

The classroom was nearly empty when you entered – it was rare to be so early to class, but you were grateful that there were fewer eyes to stare at you as you took your seat. You glanced at the empty desk beside your own. How would things go once Kaidoh arrived? You wondered if he was still angry at you. You’d make sure to apologize to him after school.

One by one, students start piling in, not even noticing your presence. Kaidoh was one of the last and he stopped by your desk instead of sitting. He didn’t particularly look angry. Actually, you thought he looked rather nervous.

“Good morning, Kaidoh-kun.” You offered after a few minutes of silence.

“Good morning,” He echoed. “C-Can we talk? After school, I mean.”

With the intention of apologizing for your behavior, you agreed, noting how relieved he looked afterward. The rest of the day went by normally. Well, as normal as it could be at Seishun Gakuen.

At least you didn’t get kidnapped again. Though, as the day neared a close, you were increasingly becoming nervous. You knew what you wanted to talk to Kaidoh about, but what did he want to talk about?

The final bell rang and you started to gather your things, surprised to find Kaidoh ready to go. The two of you left the classroom without a word, walking silently beside one another until you had broken free from the sea of students trying to get home. He led you toward the tennis courts, but stopped a few feet short, turning to face you.

You stared each other down.

“I’m sorry!”

Your voices overlapped, bringing color to both of your faces.

“Y-You can go first,” He offered, feeling his heart race. He knew what he was going to say, but he hadn’t quite gotten the courage to say it yet.

“I’m sorry for the way I acted yesterday. You were just trying to help me but I ran away from you and avoiding you… that was rude of me. Please forgive me, Kaidoh-kun.” You bowed.

He hadn’t expected that. “I-I’m the one who’s sorry! You know, for trying to kidnap you… I umm… I was just…”

You tilted your head to the side and he mentally cursed. Why did you have to be so cute?

“I-I wanted you to know… I mean… You see… I…”

“Just tell him you like him already, mamushi!” Came Momo’s voice from a nearby bush.

Your face flushed. Had you heard him correctly?

“ **DAMN YOU MOMOSHIRO**!” Kaidoh cried, hands balled into fists at his side. He was about to run after him when your soft voice made him freeze.

“Is it true?” You questioned, looking up at him through your lashes. “Do you… like me, Kaidoh-kun?”

His face turned a brighter red and he swallowed hard. Time to man up, Kaoru! “Yes, I like you very much! Please be my boyfriend!”

The regulars, no longer hiding in the bush, all cheered at his bravery.

You bit your lip, wondering if this would be easier without an audience. You figured it would be just as hard either way. “I like you, too, Kaidoh-kun.”

He felt so much relief, but quickly tensed when you continued.

“But… there’s something you should know first.” You glanced at Fuji, wondering if you should tell him. The tensai nodded with encouragement.

“W-What is it?” Kaidoh glanced at Fuji before looking back at you.

“I can’t be your boyfriend because… I’m a girl,”

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Everyone stared at you with wide eyes, even Ryoma. The exceptions were, of course, Fuji, who already knew, and Tezuka. You assumed Fuji had told him, he had figured it out on his own, or he really was just emotionless.

You swallowed your nerves. “K-Kaidoh-kun?”

The sound of your voice was the kick that the clock needed to start time again.

“ **YOU’RE A GIRL**?!” Momoshiro and Eiji cried out in unison.

“Mada mada dane,”

“Don’t act like you knew, Echizen/Ochibi!” They screamed in unison again.

You ignored their bickering, biting your lip as you looked at Kaidoh. He still hadn’t moved.

Suddenly he bowed low, his back forming a straight line. “Please be my girlfriend!”

The corners of your lips tugged up into a smile and tears filled your eyes. He still wanted you. You were so happy!

“Che, way to go, Mamushi. You made her cry. That’s not cool, not cool at all.”

“Mou~! Apologize right now, Kaidoh!”

“Mada mada dane, Kaidoh-senpai.”

“S-Shut up!” He yelled at them before turning back to you. He tried to apologize but the words stopped on his tongue when you threw your arms around his middle, burying your face in the crook of his neck. You could feel the heat radiating off his skin, and you were sure that yours matched. Almost unsurely, he wrapped his own arms around you, resting his head on top of your own.

Fuji smiled at the scene before him. You deserved happiness, and you certainly did not deserve the things that happened to you. He decided then and there that he would help you out and save you from your abusive life. A part of that responsibility was given to Kaidoh because he knew that no matter what, whether the second year knew your situation or not, he would always protect his girlfriend.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

  * **Genre** : Angst, Romance, Dark, Fluff ☁
  * **Word Count** : 3,319 ☁
  * **Pairing** : Reader x Kaidoh ☁
  * **World** : Anime, Prince of Tennis ☁



_This fic contains abuse, both mental and physical._

* * *

Three months. That’s how long it’s been since you started dating Kaidoh. Although you loved every second you spent with the male, you would be lying if you said it was easy. He wasn’t the most affectionate person, but he did like to hug you when you managed to find time away from the regulars – this was always a problem because of your bruises. Life on the outside may have gotten better, but life at home had only begun to get worse. You had been sure that you were hiding your happiness, but there were often times that you found yourself smiling without realizing it, giving your mother plenty of chances to catch you. She hasn’t said anything, but her beatings were becoming more frequent.

Keeping up with lies and secrets is always hard. Honestly, it was mentally exhausting to you and you found yourself forcing smiles more often – the only time you smiled genuinely was when you were with Kaidoh, but even that was getting to be difficult.

As it turns out, Fuji had figured out about your problems at home. Honestly, you hadn’t been too surprised when he confronted you – he’s a tensai for a reason. His knowledge took some of the weight off of your shoulders and he was more than willing to help keep your secret, though he did encourage you to confess to Kaidoh. You refused, of course, because you were too afraid. He was quick to anger, after all, and you were sure he would not appreciate being lied to for over three months.

You sighed as you re-adjusted the strap on your bag. School was over and Kaidoh was currently at tennis practice. He had tried several times to get you to attend his practice, but you could only reject the offer. You wanted to watch him, of course, but things at home had already gotten so much worse that you really didn’t want to push your luck by coming home late. It’s safe to say that Kaidoh hadn’t been too happy about your decision.

When you reached the front door of your house, you took a minute to collect your nerves before entering. The first thing you saw was your mother sitting at the kitchen table, eyes narrowed into a cold glare.

“You’re late,” She spat, making you flinch.

“I-I came straight home…”

“Then I suggest you come home sooner!” Slamming her hand on the table as she stood, she slowly approached you. It reminded you of a cat stalking its prey and it made your body stiffen. “Or maybe there’s something distracting you from your dear, sweet mother.”

“Of course not!” You cried, quickly realizing your mistake. “I-I m-mean… you’re the most important person, mother…”

She gripped your short hair between her fingers and tugged your head back sharply, ignoring your cry of pain. “That’s right, and don’t you dare forget that. Now, make me dinner before I get angry.”

She shoved you forward toward the kitchen and you stumbled, barely missing the counter that nearly collided with your head. You set to work without a sound, shakily grabbing the items needed to prepare your mother’s meal. Normally, the older woman would disappear upstairs, sleeping or watching TV until dinner was ready; _‘Less time spent seeing your ugly face’_ , she would always say, but this time was different. She just stood there, leaning her body against the wall as she watched you through narrowed eyes. It made you feel more nervous than usual.

Several times you nearly dropped a bowl or cut your finger, but the older woman didn’t make a sound. If it weren’t for the aura of anger and hatred seeping from her skin, you could have forgotten about her presence altogether, but life had never been that forgiving when it came to you.

Dinner came and went without incident and you rushed to clean up the kitchen so you could finally escape her stare, which hadn’t relented throughout dinner. You snatched up your bag only to pause and realize that something was missing; it was the small cat charm that Kaidoh had bought you. Had it fallen off on your way home? You knew it had been there when you left school.

“Looking for something?” Came your mother’s smug voice. You whipped your head around to find her twirling the small charm around her index finger. “You know better. Guys shouldn’t have such cute items. It’s unmanly.”

“P-Please… give it back…” You had tried to sound confident, but it only came out weak and broken.

“Oh? Did someone give this to you?”

“N-No…”

Her lips turned up into a sadistic grin and her eyes flashed. “Well then, I guess it’s not important.”

Before you could do anything, she had thrown the charm into the garbage disposal and flipped the switch. The grinding of the blades against the metal made you wince and you fought to hold back the tears that sprung to your eyes. The first gift you had gotten from your boyfriend and your mother had destroyed it… You had never felt so much anger before.

“I hate you!”

“You little bitch!” She grabbed you by the hair before you could run away, throwing you to the floor before sending a kick straight to your stomach. She kicked you over and over and over until your voice faded away from the screaming and crying. And she left you there, curled into a ball on the cold floor, your body shaking from the mixture of pain and the sobs that tore through you.

How could you have been so stupid, letting your emotions drive you like that? You knew what it would bring, but Kaidoh stirred something within you that you had never felt before; a drive to fight back. That scared you more than anything because you knew fighting back would only lead to your demise. You were sure that she wasn’t above killing you – she had come quite close several times when you were younger.

_‘I wish someone would save me…’_

* * *

You were late for school the next morning. It hurt to walk, it hurt to breathe. Not to mention the fact that you had to focus on pretending that you weren’t in excruciating pain. You had considered skipping the day, but after weighing your options, you decided that dealing with the pain was the better alternative to spending an entire day at home with your mother.

 _‘Get it together!’_ , you scolded yourself as you stared at the classroom door. You could hear the teacher in the middle of the lesson, _‘You’ve done this a million times before, you can do it again!’_

You couldn’t even manage to take a deep breath to try and dislodge the ball of nerves that had settled in your chest like a clump of ice. You had taken medicine before leaving home, but it had done nothing to help you. You were sure at this point that you were beyond help.

The teacher glared at you when you entered, the students staring like you were a foreigner they had never seen before. You kept your head down, staring at the floor as you made your way to your seat – it was the first time you had ever been late, so the teacher agreed not to give you detention. At least one good thing happened to you. It was better than none, you supposed.

Kaidoh stared at you as you took the seat next to him and you were internally praying that he didn’t notice you wince when you sat down. He waited until the teacher was engrossed in the lesson before he started to question you.

“Why are you so late today?”

“I stayed up late watching my favorite anime,” Just as you had rehearsed, but without the forced smile. You were in far too much pain for that.

He hissed but didn’t say anything. Did that mean he believed you? Did it mean he knew you were lying? You weren’t too sure, but he didn’t press the issue.

The day dragged on painfully slow, you noticed. You hadn’t been able to pay attention to any of your lessons and you hadn’t moved from your desk at all, not even for lunch. Your back was stiff and your legs were tingling from lack of use, which helped to distract you from the pain in your stomach. As long as you didn’t move, the pain wasn’t too bad. At least, that’s what you convinced yourself of.

Class finally ended, but you waited for everyone to clear out before attempting to move. Kaidoh was waiting on you, as he did every day. You loved seeing him, but at that moment you just wanted him to be anywhere but at your side. Just a few minutes of not pretending to be okay, that’s all you needed.

As soon as you stood straight, a sharp pain jolted through your body and you cried out before your knees gave way. Kaidoh was the only thing stopping you from hitting the ground.

“O-Oi, what’s wrong?!” He shook you lightly when you didn’t respond only to tense up when you cried in pain. Tears were streaming down your cheeks as you tried to hold back your sobs. The pain was unbearable to the point that you just wanted to die right then and there.

“What are you yelling about, Mamushi?” Momo’s voice reached your ears as he stepped into the room. “What’s going on?”

“G-Get a teacher, idiot!” Kaidoh yelled at him before turning back to you. He didn’t know what to do or what to say. He was scared to breathe in case he made your condition worse. “Just hang on, you’ll be okay.”

“I… I’m so… sorry, Kaidoh… -kun..” You sobbed, your hand wrapping tight around his shirt. Everything mixed together, pushing and pulling against you. Your body couldn’t handle the strain and your brain shut down, sending you into darkness. The last thing your mind registered was the sound of rushing footsteps accompanied by the call of your name.

And then the pain was gone.

* * *

Kaidoh paced back and forth outside the nurse’s office. How could he not notice how much pain you were in? He felt like a horrible boyfriend and an even worse friend. Anger, worry, confusion… Why hadn’t you said anything?

The rest of the regulars were gathered nearby, as well, all hoping that you would be okay. Even Tezuka and Ryoma, normally unfazed, were looking worried. And why wouldn’t they, after catching a glance at the dark black and purple bruise that covered the whole of your stomach. Only those two had noticed it, though, since the others were too worried at the time.

Among all of the emotions floating through the corridor, one person was feeling guilty. Fuji stared at the door to the office with worry, his hands balled into fists at his side. He had kept silent all this time because you had assured him that it was nothing you couldn’t handle. But this… this was going too far. Should he tell the others?

_‘You promised it wasn’t this bad!’_

Fuji’s words suddenly rung out in Kaidoh’s head. Fuji had been the first person to enter the room after Momo ran to get help. He had kneeled beside the two of you, eyes wide and glassy like he wanted to cry. Seigaku’s viper couldn’t understand the meaning behind those words, but he did understand that his senpai knew something.

Before anyone could register what was happening, Kaidoh had the older male pinned against the wall, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Kaidoh! What are you doing?” Oishi demanded that the younger boy release Fuji, but he didn’t listen. His grip only tightened.

“You know something, don’t you?!” Kaidoh hissed, his knuckles turning white from the amount of force he was using.

Fuji frowned, his cerulean eyes shining with sadness. “It’s not my story to tell, Kaidoh.”

“Don’t mess around with me!”

It took Momo, Kawamura, and Eiji to pry the second year away and even then, they were struggling to keep their grip on him.

“Fuji, if you know something you need to tell us.” Oishi put his hand on the tensai’s shoulder. “It’s better that she be safe and angry than in danger, right?”

Of course, the Tensai knew keeping his silence was wrong. He had let it get so bad without lifting a finger. How could he forgive himself? Better yet, how could he expect you to forgive him? He was supposed to be your friend who had promised to protect you, but he had failed.

Everyone in your life had failed you.

“Her mother abuses her,” Fuji finally answered, making all of the regulars freeze in their spot in disbelief. They had assumed something like bullying. Never would they have suspected the one person put on this Earth to protect and love you. “She would never tell me all the details. She promised that it wasn’t anything too bad. I guess we both broke our promise…”

The regulars were floored. No one knew what to say or even how to feel. It was their first time dealing with such a situation and they were completely lost.

* * *

An hour passed before the medicine the nurse gave you kicked in enough for your brain to deem it safe enough to allow you to wake. Your eyes fluttered before focusing on the white ceiling above you. The medication was strong enough to revert your pain to a dull throbbing, but you knew you wouldn’t be able to push yourself.

A gentle hand on your shoulder startled you as you met eyes with the nurse.

She smiled softly. “Don’t worry, dear, you’re in the nurse’s office. You passed out.” Her eyes reflected pity as she gazed down at you. “I saw your stomach… will you tell me what happened?”

“I fell,” You croaked. The response was automatic after years of practice.

Her brow furrowed; she obviously didn’t believe you. “Are you sure about that?”

“I’m a clumsy person,” Like a broken record.

“Okay… Your mother will be here soon to pick you up so – ”

You shot up in the bed at the mention of your mother, crying out at the strain put on your middle. “T-There’s no need! I-I’m f-fine!”

“You most certainly are not!” The nurse frowned, gently pushing you back down. “That’s a serious wound on your stomach! There may even be some internal bruising!”

“B-But – ”

“But nothing. I’ve informed your mother of your injuries and she has agreed to take you to the hospital. No arguments!”

You didn’t waste your breath, knowing it was too late. Tears pooled in your eyes as you stared up at the ceiling. _‘This is it’_ , you sobbed, screwing your eyes shut, _‘This is the day I die.’_

You felt terrified. How could you have been so stupid? This was all your fault.

Both of your hands were engulfed in warmth and you tensed, slowly peeling your eyes open. A hand landed on your cheek, gently brushing away the tears. Kaidoh stood on your right, while Fuji occupied your left. Both boys were clinging to your hands. Having your best friend and your boyfriend at your side made you feel safe and warm. You clung to them like a child, not wanting to lose the safety you felt.

_‘Save me, please…’_

The two shared a look as if sensing your feelings.

Kaidoh brushed away the fresh tears before pressing a soft kiss to your temple. “We won’t let her take you,”

“W-What?”

Fuji squeezed your hand, looking at you with a mix of guilt and pain. “I had to tell them,”

“You p-promised!” You sobbed, trying to pull your hand away.

He refused to let go. “I had to. You’re not safe and I promised to protect you. I’d rather have you alive and hating me than dead.”

Your eyes widened as his words sunk in. All this time, you had been selfish to ask Fuji to keep such a secret to himself. Asking him to watch you suffer in silence. “I’m sorry…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Kaidoh’s gruff voice reached your ear. “It’s out in the open now,”

“Kaidoh…”

The door swung open and your mother stepped inside, a worried look on her face. Anyone that saw her would automatically think it was genuine – why would anyone question a worried mother? But you knew better. Your mother should have been an actress because she could easily wrap others around her finger with little effort.

Your body tensed when she approached you but Kaidoh stood in her path, eyes narrowed as a deep hiss passed his lips. The nurse went to scold him when Yoshiko and Yumiko Fuji entered the room. The eldest Fuji sibling sent a glare to your mother before dragging the nurse away with a ridiculous story about a group of kids throwing up in the parking lot.

A tense silence fell over the room.

Your mother cleared her throat and put on her fake cheerful mother voice as she addressed Fuji’s mother. “Hello, I’m – ”

“I know very well who you are.” Yoshiko cut her off, her lips pressed into a thin line. “My son has informed me of what you’ve been doing to your poor daughter. You should be ashamed.”

Anger flashed through the woman’s eyes but she simply laughed. “Why, whatever are you talking about?”

Yoshiko shook her head. “You should be ashamed of yourself. Why have a child if you’re only going to torture her? A parent is put here to protect and love their child and you are no parent.”

“You have no right – ”

“No, you have no right!” She placed her hands on her hips, glaring at the older woman. “I will not stand for this. If you wish to stay out of jail, then I suggest you listen closely. My husband will be contacting you shortly with adoption papers. You will sign them and have nothing to do with this sweet child again. Do you understand me?”

Your mother growled in anger before snapping her gaze to you. You flinched on instinct, but Fuji patted your shoulder, giving your hand a comforting squeeze. Finally realizing that she was outnumbered and outwitted, your mother scoffed and headed for the door. “Take the bitch, she’s useless anyway!”

“The nerve of that – ”

“Kaa-san~” Fuji called lightly, gaining his mother’s attention.

She cleared her throat before stepping up beside Kaidoh, a gentle smile on her face as she laid her hand on your cheek. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We won’t allow you to hurt anymore. You’re not alone.”

“F-Fuji-san…” Tears were clouding your eyes, making the woman a blurry mess in front of you.

She pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. “You can call me Yoshiko. Kaidoh, can you carry her to the car? We need to get her checked out.”

“Oishi called his uncle. He’s willing to keep the visit off the record,” Fuji told you gently, releasing your hand so Kaidoh could grab you.

He slid one arm under your back and the other under your legs. His grip was gentle and he moved slowly as if carrying a porcelain statue. The last thing he wanted was to inflict more pain upon you.

You were in shock, your brain trying to process all this information. It almost seemed like a sick joke or maybe even a dream. Were you really free?

Kaidoh’s grip tightened slightly as he came to a stop in the hallway. You looked up at him, eyes locking. He seemed hesitant, having an internal debate with himself. You were about to call his name when his lips crashed down onto your own. You felt what he wasn’t able to put into words.

His love, his worry, his anger… you felt it all. More than anything else, you felt his heart and the promise that he made.

_‘_ _I will_ **_always_ ** _protect you_ _,’_

* * *


End file.
